Because of You
by Imaginationqueen87
Summary: Kira's relationship with her mother has imploded and now the authorities are involved. What will the rangers do now that they are at risk of losing one of their own? No KiraXTommy romance PERIOD. Pairing KiraxTrent.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers Dino Thunder

A/N: this is a sequel to the stories "Hope" and "Who Saves the Hero"

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_**Because of You**_

Tommy sighed as he entered his classroom for another day of teaching. He enjoyed his job to no end, but today he was feeling a little under the weather. His doctor had diagnosed him with a sinus infection that past Saturday, and he was still feeling most of the symptoms that had made him miserable the entire weekend. It had been only by some kind of miracle he was able to grade his recent assignments and post his grades.

The students started to trickle in for his first class of the day, he knew they'd be rushing in right before the tardy bell, but that was normal for high school, he'd done it when he was in high school. While he normally would never admit it, he'd had way too much practice skating in just seconds before the tardy bell, a skill his friends never let him live down. He had now come to the conclusion that there was one in every group, having seen Conner McKnight pulling a lot of his old stunts, but as a soccer player Conner was a marginally faster runner than Tommy had ever been as a teenager; meaning he was better equipped to beat the bell.

The classes seemed to move at a snail's pace, especially since all Tommy really wanted to do was sleep. During the previous night, his congestion was enough that sleep had seemed impossible. The pressure behind his eyes had also seemed too much to handle and he really just wanted to sleep. Then his class with the rangers came around and he dreaded it as he was sure Trent or Kira would realize he was sick. He had managed to, by some miracle; avoid them for the past few days. Hayley had passed them the message that he was under the weather and needed time to rest. He would have to remember to thank her for taking on Conner and Ethan over that. She had brought him a "get well soon" card that the four teenagers insisted on him having, and it had the effect of brightening his day as well as reminding him that all four of them really cared about him. Even if some grated at his last nerve from time to time.

He sat back in his chair to wait and attempt to predict which ranger would be first.

Trent came in first; that was typical. He reminded Tommy of a younger version of himself when it came to personality, though Trent was more reliable at being in class on time, or more often than not, early. Then Tommy noticed something that instantly sent up a red flag: Kira and Trent often arrived within moments of each other. It was as if they were secretly competing to see who could get to this particular class first, and the results seemed inconclusive from Tommy's perspective. It seemed that Trent got in first just as often as Kira beat him in. He brushed it off; Kira might be running a little late. Then he braced himself. Trent was one of the two that would notice how miserable he was, but then he remembered Trent was the last one to say anything in public. He'd wait until they could speak privately to ask any personal questions out of respect.

Ethan came in moments later, and Tommy began to get a bit concerned, Ethan was never in before Kira.

Ethan took one look at Tommy and winced.

"No offence Dr. O, but you look like crap."

Tommy shot the young genius the best glare he could muster at the moment; which barely managed to not look completely pathetic.

"None taken," he drawled, "Trust me, Ethan, I feel worse than I look."

This drew a wince from both Ethan and Trent.

"I really hope you feel better soon," Trent said sincerely.

Tommy honestly hoped the same, and thanked Trent for once again voicing his well wishes. From the moment he saw the card he figure that it was initially either Trent or Kira's idea; not that Conner and Ethan lacked sympathy or anything, it just didn't seem their style to use greeting cards to get a message across to another person.

Cassidy came in a few minutes later and started to comment on his appearance, but a better-composed glare stopped her in her tracks. She, like the rest of the class, hadn't really known what was going on with him and his current appearance came as a small surprise.

He'd been absent Monday due to the fact that he really wasn't up to teaching, and after one call to H.R. and a doctor's note, he got the sick day he needed desperately. Really, he could have taken at least one more, maybe two if he had spun it right, but he really could not afford to take that many days after his stint stuck in morph.

Kira came in just moments before Conner did, and her behavior sent off alarm bells in Tommy's mind. She didn't sit with the other rangers, and was doing her best to hide her face. Tommy could feel his stomach churning, he had no idea what was going on with Kira; and after all he had heard about her mom he had a bad feeling the woman was involved. He got to the lesson for the day and the class went by agonizingly slow, even more so than any other that day. He wanted to have a private chat with Kira; to find out exactly what was going on, but he had a bad feeling that wouldn't happen until after school. He had no clue what would be dropped in his lap at the end of the day that would change his life and Kira's.

He finished class and tried his best to catch up to Kira, but she was out the door and gone before he could really make a move. He groaned knowing that he would not catch her feeling the way that he did, and he knew this would bother him the rest of the day.

What was going on with her? Why wouldn't she tell him? He knew that under normal circumstances she would tell him just about anything that was bothering her.

He took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose; this day had just gone from bad to worse.

Final period rolled around and Tommy was counting the seconds until he could go home, take some meds and go back to his nice comfy bed. Then something shattered those plans.

Class ended, and Tommy was almost ready to walk out the door when his classroom phone began to ring.

"Hello?" he asked, his voice not quite normal due to the congestion. The person on the other end requested that he come to a different classroom and cited that Kira had asked for him.

_To Be Continued…_


	2. Chapter 2

A/n: this chapter has not been edited to the point where I would like it to be, my editor is still ill but I feel like I have made you wait long enough for this, please enjoy.

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Kira sat in the back of the classroom doing her best to hide her face from Tommy. She had barely escaped him when she came in, but she figured she would have to face him eventually. She just wanted to do so on her own terms, not his.

Kira was, honestly, still reeling from the night's events; her mother had gotten drunk before, but that night was the worst. She had come home plastered, and in a rage, she was looking for a fight, but Kira wanted no part of that. She tried to avoid her mom, but that only seemed to make things worse. Her mother had gotten in her face over something normally considered trivial, and before Kira could comprehend what was happening punched her in the face blackening her left eye and leaving a bruise on her cheek.

Kira's math teacher Mrs. Sanchez was a very observant woman, and noticed that Kira was not acting like her usual self, but she decided not to bring it up in front of the class. Instead she walked over to Kira's desk and placed a small note on the desk requesting that she stay after class.

Kira looked at the note and felt her stomach drop to the floor. She had expected this from Tommy, but not from Mrs. Sanchez. Then she remembered Tommy was still sick and not at the top of his game.

Class ended and Kira dutifully stayed in her seat until everyone had left before going to the teacher's desk while still trying to hide her bruised face, but knowing that now she was failing miserably.

"Kira…what happened to your face?" Mrs. Sanchez sounded shocked, and Kira wasn't surprised, she knew it looked bad.

"I… I can't say." She replied, edging towards the door worried about what would happen if the truth came out.

"Kira, please, tell me, I can't do anything if you don't tell me what happened." Claudia Sanchez was growing more concerned by the moment. She had no idea about Kira's home life, but she had the idea that Kira was struck by a parent or someone that she feared.

"I really can't say, she…" Kira trailed off, realizing what she was about to say.

"Kira, if this is someone in your family I will do everything in my power to protect you." Claudia said. "But I need to know what happened"

Claudia stood and placed a hand on Kira's shoulder, "Is there anyone that you want here? Anyone that would make you feel more comfortable saying what happened?"

Claudia was grasping at straws now and she knew it, but she had to get the answers from Kira.

"Dr. Oliver, he's my science teacher." She blurted without even thinking. She tried to stop herself, but the words were already out of her mouth. She did feel more comfortable and confident around Tommy, as she knew he would protect her. She also knew she would have to tell him eventually, so she might as well get it over with now.

"Doctor Thomas Oliver?" Claudia asked making sure she had the right teacher, even though there was only one teacher named Oliver in the entire school.

"Yes, that's him."

Claudia called the front office, and within a few minutes, Tommy arrived in the room looking very worried. That look turned to one of shock then anger in seconds when he got his first really good look at Kira's face.

"Kira, what happened?" he asked, practically every sinus infection symptom forgotten, trumped by the gut clenching reality he didn't want to believe was true. Someone had struck Kira, and hard by the look of it. Her face was bruised, her eye blackened and Tommy felt sick in an entirely different way. He was sure her mother was involved in this, but by this point needed her reply. He bit his lip, he had never wanted to be more wrong in his life.

Kira sighed, tears falling down her cheeks.

"My mom came home completely wasted last night…" she said her voice shaky. "… we got into an argument as usual, only… only this time she hit me."

Claudia was stunned and she noticed that Tommy looked furious and Claudia had a bad feeling that he knew more than he let on about Kira's home life.

Tommy felt like someone had dropped a bolder in his stomach. In this situation, he hated being right with a passion he couldn't even express. He hadn't wanted this for Kira; she deserved so much better than what life had thrown at her.

"You knew, didn't you?" Claudia asked him. She had seen the emotions that had flashed through Tommy's dark eyes, and she was quickly realizing that Tommy really cared about his students, about Kira.

"When I saw that bruise I had a good idea, but I was hoping I was wrong." Tommy sighed as he gave Kira's shoulder a gentle squeeze. It was the most comforting gesture he dared act out on school grounds. He had embraced her before, but never on campus and this evening would be no exception. She'd need the comfort of an embrace; of knowing he wasn't going anywhere. He could tell she already knew they had to call CPS, and maybe it was best they did for her sake.

Kira was in tears for various reasons; one of which was the sheer relief of getting all of that off her chest to the first man she had ever completely trusted. She had initially found trusting Tommy to be difficult, but quickly realized he was different from any other man she had ever dealt with. He didn't back down when times got rough. The few times she tried to push him away; he didn't let her, as he knew she needed someone to support her, even if he didn't always know why. Eventually she found that it was too tiring to keep the walls up against someone that was just as stubborn as she was. She also learned when she finally decided to confide in Tommy that he would keep her secrets and step up to help her and support her emotionally when she needed it.

The next few hours were a whirlwind of telling and retelling her story and explaining that her mother often drank, but this was the first time she had gotten violent with her daughter.

Kira was exhausted when the ordeal was finally over, but Tommy was worried because he had no idea where Kira would end up; it had become abundantly clear she would not be allowed to go home.

"The foster homes that take girls her age are full, and I really don't want to put a 17 year old girl in an orphanage." The social worker, Paige Mathews, sighed to the sheriff. She was running low on options and it was getting late. She looked to Kira, who had nodded off on a small loveseat in the sheriff's the office and a sympathetic officer had come along and draped an emergency blanket over her. It was becoming apparent that Kira hadn't slept well the night before and with the story she told, no one present could blame her. Then she noticed Tommy who sat near Kira, she had noticed him staying extremely close to Kira through this entire process and supporting her as best he could.

Tommy had overheard the dilemma Paige had on her hands, and as he looked at Kira, he began to consider the options Paige had on her plate. Each seemed worse than the last until he knew what had to be done.

"I'll take her in." He said his tone even, but his face said it all. This was his child in every way that mattered, and he'd do what he had to in order to insure her safety and wellbeing.

Claudia looked Tommy over. She wasn't familiar with the science teacher, but the way he had reacted to what happened to Kira and had since handled the situation, and his having volunteered to be her advocate where the police were concerned made Claudia wonder about him; about what he felt about this young girl. This answered her questions about him: he cared deeply for her but there was no need to worry that care was familial, she was like a daughter or younger sister that needed his protection and support.

Paige seemed to look through her paperwork.

"Dr. Oliver, from what I see here, you seem to have a definite relationship with Kira she really does trust you more than I might have a teacher when I was her age, but I never saw anything like what she has. She needed someone to be her supporter and I can definitely see where you've filled that role in her life, and what she saw in you that makes her feel like she can turn to you for anything. I will have to check, but at this point, looking at what information I have I don't see any reason why that I wouldn't be allowed to house her with you." Paige said "To be honest, that is the best option I've heard. She's in a vulnerable place emotionally and needs someone who not only knows her best interest, but is willing to stand up for her."

Paige stepped out of the room, apparently going to check with her supervisor and those who could make the ruling that she could or couldn't stay with Tommy.

Tommy sat back in his chair with a huff of breath; his sinuses were protesting now more than they had in days, reminding him that he had missed his medication for the infection. That was just perfect.

"Are you okay?" a voice asked. It was the teacher that had finally been able call Kira out on her injury and helped him get her talking, Claudia.

"It's nothing." He replied.

Claudia gave him a glare that read she clearly didn't believe that.

"I have a sinus infection, I'm fine."

Claudia winced but decided it was best to change the subject as they left the room to let Kira sleep.

"You really care about her, don't you?"

"From the first day I knew she was different, I had no way of knowing what went on at home, but I knew there had to be a reason she kept so much so close to her chest. She never spoke of her father or really of her family at all. Then after a while of getting to know her, talking to her and showing her that I cared about her as a person, she opened up to me and told me her father had walked out when she was about 7 years old and that she and her mom had issues. She has called me on several occasions when her mother got drunk and obnoxious and she needed someone sane and sober to talk with. Her mom doesn't care about her music she hasn't been to a single one of her concerts at Hayley's Cyberspace, and I've only missed one and that was due to circumstances beyond my control." Tommy leaned back against the wall.

"You saw that she needed someone and stepped up to be that someone, you're a rare man, Dr. Oliver."

"Please, call me Tommy."

"Tommy," Claudia smiled slightly. "I've actually heard about you from a lot of the students, you seem to make an impression on them. The world needs more teachers like you."

They looked up as Paige came over to them with the verdict.

**To Be Continued…**

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*Hides behind Tommy* Please don't throw things I know the cliffhanger is evil I will try to post the next chapter as soon as possible.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: This story was not edited at all, I have given up trying to get back in touch with my past editor. She has quit responding and disappeared from the site where I met her T_T. I did my best to edit this but I'll leave the success of that up to you. I don't know if I said this before but I actually don't own Paige Mathews she's a borrow from Charmed.

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Tommy's stomach was tied in knots as Paige got closer, he could only hope that he got the go ahead to take Kira home.

"Well I have good news and bad news, the bad news is there will be welfare check ins every once in a while but the good news is your request was approved Kira can stay with you until the trial and we will judge if she can remain permanently from there."

Tommy let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding; he could deal with a social worker checking in as long as Kira was safe with him.

"That's fine" he replied relieved that he was able to get approval so quickly.

Paige looked at Tommy as Claudia excused herself feeling that her presence was no longer required.

"She needs a lot of support, this could have a crushing effect on her self-esteem," Paige sighed.

"I know but I'm willing to do whatever I can to help her."

"She's lucky to have someone like you in her life, it's rare that kids like her have the kind of support she has or any at all really." Paige sighed, "I wish I could say otherwise but really this case has been the exception to any ideas we have about these kinds of cases."

Tommy sighed more relieved than ever that he had the ability to take care of Kira and the space to have her live in his home.

He said good-bye to Paige and went to get Kira. He was glad that Claudia had let her sleep, she could use the rest but he knew that they needed to get something to eat before they got to his house and went to bed which now sounded more appealing than ever and he could tell Kira agreed with him.

"Kira, it's time to wake up." He said shaking her shoulder gently.

Kira looked at him still very much asleep.

"So where am I going?" she asked.

"You're staying with me, at least for now." Tommy replied.

"Okay," he knew she liked this idea even if her drowsy response showed no enthusiasm whatsoever. He figured she would begin to get it once she woke up a little better and her brain caught up to what she had just been told.

Kira sat up, hazel eyes unfocused, she was just waking and Tommy knew that eventually she would figure out exactly what this new development meant. She wouldn't have to leave her friends, and she could continue to perform at Hayley's Cyberspace.

Tommy sat beside Kira and waited for her to wake up fully. This was going to be a big adjustment, for her especially but one they welcomed, she needed this change, needed someone who would be there for her consistently and that was him.

Kira looked at Tommy as what he said finally set in what he'd said. She was staying in a place she was familiar with, where she felt safe. She let out a breath as the relief hit, she wouldn't have to convince someone to let her go to Hayley's to perform, let her go visit her friends, including Tommy himself on a near daily basis, she would be with him. He already knew more of her secrets than anyone else ever did and she knew he would hold them in complete confidence as he has for months. Sure some would have to come to light should this go to trial but she knew that everything would be okay now.

Tommy gave her shoulder a squeeze as it became obvious she was getting what was going on.

"So now what…?" she asked.

"Home, maybe get something to eat and we get some rest. This has been a _long_ day" Tommy sighed.

"No kidding, how long was I asleep?" Kira asked running her fingers through her hair to get the tangles out.

"At least half an hour, maybe longer, you were asleep when I got in here from the interview room and I saw no point in waking you up. The interviews were over for today, there may be more later on."

"Great, another afternoon spent here." Kira muttered, she hadn't wanted to confess this but she knew it would have come out eventually. She had just hoped that she had been able to tell Tommy in private about what was going on. She then thought about it and realized that maybe it was best she took that dilemma out of Tommy's hands.

Kira put her face in her hands realizing this meant she wouldn't see her mom again, not on good terms anyway. Then again maybe not being around her mom was for the best, after this there was a whole world of other things that could happen that Kira didn't even want to think about.

Kira felt a hand on her back and realized that it was Tommy; he had to know how conflicted her heart was at that moment. She was so happy to be moving in with him but there was some part of her that was hoping to reconcile with her mom and find that relationship with her that other girls had with their moms. That last part was completely crushed.

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Paige watched through the window as Tommy pulled Kira into his arms. She saw the powerless look in his eyes, the one that wanted to make all the pain Kira was feeling stop. The part that never wanted it to come to this, had wanted Kira to be able to come to some peaceful agreement with her mom. He volunteered to keep her out of the orphanages, from the hold of foster care and what he felt would crush her in her vulnerable state.

Paige sighed as Kira leaned her head on Tommy's shoulder like a child seeking comfort and Tommy willingly held her, obliged her with the comfort she desperately needed despite the fact that it didn't take a genius to tell he didn't feel well. He swallowed the pain and discomfort he felt in a selfless show of strength for her, for the girl that might as well be his daughter.

"He's a rare find isn't he, it's obvious he's sick and yet he has tried to hide it every moment. He puts up a front of strength despite what he feels. I didn't know what to make of him until I really spoke to him." Jennifer Rodriguez said.

"Me either," Paige agreed, "We're trained to be suspicious when a male takes a lot of interest in a female student, but this case, he was her confidant, her friend. She trusted him with her every secret and he holds them in the strictest confidence because he knows she expects nothing less. He… he wanted different for her, wanted her to be able to find peace with her mom, not have to leave her." Paige sighed sadly "In his heart that's his child, she'll be safe with him."

"She gives regular concerts at a cybercafé not too far from here and he's only missed one in nearly 5 months and that wasn't by choice. Sad part is her own mother hasn't gone to see her daughter perform once in that same five-months." Jennifer added. "As a mom I find that despicable that Kira's mother couldn't find the time in her life to be there to watch her daughter live her dream and yet her science teacher was there every week without fail to cheer her on. I think it showed where her priorities were."

"Yeah, not with her child," Paige said ruefully as Tommy and Kira left. "He probably knows Kira better than her mom ever has, he's heard her every song more than once and saw her through the ups and downs that make up her life, the moments her mom should have helped her through he did and all without complaint. All of the things he shouldn't have had to do he did and volunteered to keep doing because this, she, means more to him than anything."

"She's like his child, she reached out to him looking for a parent that gave a damn, and he reached back, why? He claims that he saw a need and he stepped up to fill it, I don't know." An investigator, Derek, said

"I believe him," Jennifer said "Just look in those eyes, he's hurting, seeing her in pain genuinely hurts him and he wants to make it all stop. He's hugged her several times, but not in a romantic way, it's like a father holding his daughter or maybe an older brother who steps up when his sister is in pain, he didn't want this outcome for her, he derives no pleasure from taking her in. Sure he's more than happy to do it because he knows that's best for her, but really he wanted a different outcome for her and her mom but as much as he hoped something in his heart told him that wouldn't happen."

"Has anyone besides me noticed that she has not shed one tear since she got here?" Derek asked.

"She's in shock, her mom probably has her convinced crying is a sign of weakness or something. I've seen a few tears but I figure she'll fall apart when they get to his house." Paige sighed, "My sister does that, she puts up a front and doesn't cry in public but will fall completely apart when she crosses the threshold of her bedroom. I may not be a mom but I'd defiantly step in if one of my sisters treated their child like this woman did her daughter."

"If you were my sister I'd hope you would step in if I started turning into this woman." Jennifer sighed, "I just got the report from the interviewer that spoke to the mother. She confessed to what happened. She said she had thought she had dreamed it up until the officer showed up and then in a moment of shocked sobriety she confessed that it did happen."

Paige's jaw hit the floor.

"She confessed?" she echoed.

"Yes, apparently the mother has come to the stark reality that she is an alcoholic and now a danger to Kira and, in the most motherly thing I think this woman has done, said she would sign away her maternal rights willingly. She found out that Dr. Oliver volunteered to take Kira and she wants to know if he would be opposed to making the arrangement permanent." Jennifer sighed, "She says she wants to be a better mom and if letting Kira go is the best thing for her, she's willing to do it."

"Wow, where was all this motherly love when she was hurting her daughter?" Paige asked.

"I don't know, but the higher ups are saying we wait until morning to take this news to Dr. Oliver and Kira."

To Be Continued…


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